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Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

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Published on: November 15, 2013

Geomagnetic spikes on the core-mantle boundary.

Christopher Davies^1,2, Catherine Constable²

¹School of Earth &Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.

Nature Communications

|May 31, 2017

Summary

Earth's magnetic field experienced extreme fluctuations around 1000 BC in the Levant. This study links these spikes to intense core-mantle boundary (CMB) flux patches, offering new insights into geomagnetic field dynamics.

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Area of Science:

Geophysics
Earth Science
Paleomagnetism

Background:

Earth's magnetic field intensity showed extreme variations in the Levant around 1000 BC.
A direct link between this regional intensity spike and the global geodynamo has been lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the origin and spatial extent of the 1000 BC Levantine magnetic field spike.
To determine if the spike originated from the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and its geometric constraints.

Main Methods:

Geodynamic modeling incorporating energetic and geometric constraints.
Analysis of paleomagnetic data, considering age uncertainties.

Main Results:

The Levantine spike, if from the CMB, must span over 60° longitude.
Models suggest CMB spikes are 8-22° wide, reaching intensities around 100 mT.
Some low-intensity data are inconsistent with the spike's geometric extent, possibly predating it.

Conclusions:

The Levantine spike likely originated from an intense, localized CMB flux patch.
This patch may have grown and migrated, influencing the global dipole field.
Geomagnetic spike decay is likely governed by diffusive processes and Ohmic heating.